Crodela
Crodela is a mutant sport played on Skaters. It is the most popular game and most well-known game among mutants, and, according to Lindsay Kellerman, the equivalent to Fobbles' passion for . The object of the game is to take out the opposing Brighteners and score more points than your opponents. Each goal is worth ten points. The game ends when all eight Brighteners on a team are "flashed" or an agreement is reached between the captains of both teams. Some games are ended in a tie if four hours have passed and all this time the Brighteners continually avoid getting flashed. Background It is unknown exactly how and when Crodela came to be, only that the oldest modern team, the Ancient Abominations, organized in the 11th century, so the game has certainly existed for centuries. In 1435, the mutant Weston Benedict emphasized the need for anti-Fobble security while playing the game, resulting in Crodela pitches only being built in places where they will not attract Fobble attention. The advice of Benedict has not, historically, always been followed as, in 1477, the Council of Mutants outlawed playing Crodela within seventy-five miles of a known Fobble town. This was amended in 1479, possibly due to the growing popularity of the game. This amendment made the playing of the sport within one hundred miles of a Fobble town illegal. By 1701, scoring areas had been added at each end of the pitch, and an additional rule in the game, a 'minion penalty', meant that only one Pursuer was allowed in these areas at any given time. The PROM of 1723 made all governments responsible for the consequences of mutated sports in their territories. The Department of Recreation was created for this purpose in the nineteenth century. Any teams that blatantly flounced the government's guidelines were immediately disbanded forcibly. A blacksmith named Voret Koldok from Spain invented a flying skateboard of sorts known as a Skater. His invention was pretty much what we see on the Crodela pitch today. The Skater was approved by a vote from the Department of Recreation, and the modern sport as we know it was complete. All of the balls used in the modern game were now present, organized teams played against each other, and vast numbers of people came to watch. Whilst this may sound exactly like the sport as it is played today, there were still a few modifications to be made in terms of the playing pitch, and this continued to evolve until the design of today's Crodela pads were complete. It was after the Treaty of America was signed in 1948 that the practice of secrecy was rebuked and Fobbles openly came to watch Crodela and assist in arranging matches out of their own free will. A good example is, during the opening stages of 2020's International Crodela Cup, Fobble Bailey Dennings came to watch the match and later helped rouse an unconscious player named Baby Intelligence by holding ice against his cheek. Crodela pitches Crodela pitches are typically in the shape of an oval, seven-hundred feet long and four-hundred sixty feet wide, with a small central circle of approximately three feet in diameter, from which all the balls are released at the start of the game. At each end there are two goal posts, surrounded by a scoring area. As Crodela is an aerial sport, Crodela pitches usually feature spectator seating at high vantage points, whether in towers (such as at Superhero School) or in a fully-encircling platform style (such as the American stadium that held the 2020 International Crodela Cup). Initially, Crodela pitches are built in places where they will not attract Fobble attention. This began in 1435 when the mutant Weston Benedict emphasized the need for anti-Fobble security while playing the game. The advice of Benedict has not, historically, always been followed as, in 1477, the Council of Mutants outlawed playing Crodela within seventy-five miles of a known Fobble town and in 1479 the enforced distance extended to one hundred miles. It was after the Treaty of America was signed in 1948 that this practice was rebuked and Fobbles openly came to watch Crodela and assist in arranging matches out of their own free will. By 1701, scoring areas had been added at each end of the pitch. Match overview The game starts with the referee blowing the whistle and throwing the Crodelaball out into the stadium. (This is similar to how the game of basketball, a popular Fobble sport, begins by the referee throwing the ball in the air). Pursuers score by sending the Crodelaball through any of the goal posts. Each goal scored is worth ten points. After a goal is scored, the opposing team's Netkeeper throws the Crodelaball back into play. The game only ends when four hours have passed, all eight Brighteners are taken out by their opponents, or at the agreement of both team Captains. The winner of the game is the team who took out all the Brighteners and had the most points. As a result, it is possible, although difficult, to win the game even though all your Brighteners are knocked out. It is never explained what happens in the event of a tie, which is always brought about by a four-hour span. Positions The game is played by two teams of fourteen people (two Pursuers, three Reactors, one Netkeeper, and eight Brighteners) and involves four balls, including a Crodelaball and a Golgoball. The netkeeper guards the goal posts, while the two Pursuers score goals with the ball by tossing it into one of the opposing team's goalposts. The three Reactors keep their teammates away from obstacles and try to use them against the opposing team, and the Brighteners battle their opponents to end the game. Equipment Before the game can start, every player has to have a few standard things. Each player must have a Skater between his legs. As protection they have to wear a Crodela helmet, goggles, shin, knee and arm guards and gloves. Players have their own position which make that some of the players have other equipment. For example, Reactors carry bats and netkeepers wear protective head and chest gear. Each player must wear the uniform of their team in an official match, so they can see who is with who. An uniform consist of a cape and jersey. Each team's robes have their own colors and either logos or insignia. They have a special meaning to the team and their fans. The majority of the players buy their equipment at Crowdellapads. The game is played with three types of balls, including the Crodelaball and the Golgoball. Rules The worldwide popularity and playing of the game of Crodela is closely monitored and analyzed by International Syndicate of Mutants' Bureau of Crodela. In 1805, the U.S. Government set down official rules for the game of Crodela. # "Time out" may be called at any time by the Captain of a team. Time out may be extended to an hour if a game has already lasted for more than three hours. Failure to return to the pitch after this time will lead to the team being disqualified. # Penalties can be awarded to teams by the referee. A single Pursuer may take the penalty by flying from the central circle towards the scoring area. The opposing team's netkeeper may attempt to stop the shot being scored, but all other players must not interfere (it is unknown if the Brightener may fire his pad while a penalty is being attempted). # While contact is allowed, a player may not seize hold of another player's Skater or any part of their anatomy. # No substitution of players is allowed throughout the game, even if a player is too injured or tired to continue to play. # The use of martial mutantry, in any form, is strictly forbidden from being used on or against any players, any players' Skaters, the referee, any of the balls. NEVER turn any means of superpowers, martial or otherwise, on the spectators. # Only the netkeeper can block shots thrown by the opposing team. Fouls There are dozens of Crodela fouls listed in the Department of Recreation records, though the entire list has never been made public (it was the department's view that some mutants "might get ideas"). Ninety percent of these are banned anyway, by the rule concerning wand use against the opposing team (or rather, lack thereof) and the remaining ten percent would not occur even to the dirtiest player. There are, however, ten common fouls, named below (names of those to whom the fouls apply in brackets). # Backflash: Brighteners using their pads to flash non-Brighteners. (Brighteners only) # Backing: Pushing any portion of anatomy through the goal in an attempt to push the ball out – the netkeeper should defend from the front, not the rear. (Netkeepers only) # Ball-blowing: Tampering with the ball – e.g. puncturing it so that it falls more quickly or zigzags. (Pursuers only) # Blocking: Deliberately putting oneself in the way of the opposing team's Pursuer, with the intention of obstructing their way towards their opponents # Clocking: Steering obstacles towards spectators. (Reactors only) # Cruvving: Flying with the intent to collide. (All players) # Glutting: Excessive use of elbows towards opponents. (All players) # Mutantry blocking: Casting a Shield to cut off the opposing team's Pursuer, with the intention of obstructing their way towards their opponents. (Brighteners only) # Ranging: Hand still on the ball as it goes through the goal – the ball must be thrown through the goal. (Chasers only) # Wheedling: Seizing the handle of the opponent's Skater to slow or hinder. (All players) Crodela tactics Over the centuries, many difficult and entertaining moves have been invented by players who constantly push themselves and the game as far as they can go. Among them are: Crodela titles * American Crodela League * World Cup Known Crodela teams |-|Superhero School teams= It is unknown exactly which teams play at Superhero School, as they are only mentioned a few times. |-|International Crodela teams= *United States of America *International |-|Regional teams= *Abhorred Adrisas (China) *Ancient Abominations (United States) *Black Demolitions (United States) *Conniving Cows (Venezuela) *Galloping Grenades (Canada) *Egregious Erutuls (Germany) *Great Snakes (France) *Holy Mackerels (United States) *Indestructible Imnia (Armenia) *Loquacious Loloxats (Mexico) *Pitiless Panthers (Peru) *Revolutionizing Rattlesnakes (Tanzania) *Splenetic Scepters (United States) *Unholy Umbrials (Bulgaria) *Whopping Woodpeckers (Australia) Fans Crodela is a hugely popular spectator sport. One hundred thousand fans attended the 2020 International Crodela Cup final. Binoculars are sometimes used by fans to view matches from the stands. American Crodela fans keep up to date with the latest Crodela news in the Perpetual Seer and presumably other publications. Fans can buy a wide range of team merchandise including hats, scarves, flags, jerseys, badges, and figurines. Differences between the novels and comics Crodela is omitted entirely from the graphic novelizations of The Super Babies: Book I: Pride of the Super Babies and The Super Babies: Book II: The Blabberish Singer, minus a couple of Holocard mentions, first appearing in The Super Babies: Book III: Revenge of Hell Burnbottom (graphic novel). There seems to be more allowance for malicious acts in the comics, as we see several instances where players physically attack the opposition with no penalty. Trivia * D. Isaac Thomas claims that he can't remember where he found the idea for the name "Crodela". He first developed Crodela after a fight with a student at . * Melissa Vaine has said that she has always wanted to be a professional Crodela player. She also stated that, given the choice, she would play as a Reactor. References Category:The Super Babies